April 21, 2026
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Sustainable Driftless, Inc. honored nine organizations from across the four-state Driftless Region for outstanding sustainability work at its inaugural awards banquet April 18 at the Pettibone Resort in La Crosse, Wis.
The event drew approximately 120 attendees and recognized leaders in land management, business, community impact and education from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota.
“These awards recognize the people doing real, on-the-ground work to protect and strengthen the Driftless Region,” said Nancy Breed, event chair and a member of the Sustainable Driftless board of directors.
From a field of finalists spanning farms, schools, conservation groups and local governments, four award recipients were selected:
- Outstanding Land Management: Thoren Farms (Stockton, Illinois)
- Outstanding Business: Farmers Land Investment Cooperative (Decorah, Iowa)
- Outstanding Nonprofit or Community: City of La Crescent (Minnesota)
- George Howe Legacy Award for Outstanding Educator: Longfellow Middle School (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
Each finalist was featured in a video highlighting its sustainability efforts. Award recipients received a handcrafted engraved wooden platter created by Midwest Wood Art of Dubuque, Iowa, along with a $500 prize. Other finalists received $250.
“Hearing these stories from across the region was inspiring,” said Tim Jacobson, president of Sustainable Driftless, Inc. “We’re bringing together people solving similar challenges in different communities and helping them learn from each other.”
Finalists represented a wide range of sustainability efforts across the Driftless Region, including:
- Wisconsin: All Season Farm (Cashton); Longfellow Middle School (La Crosse); The Prairie Enthusiasts (Viroqua); Valley Stewardship Network (Viroqua)
- Iowa: Farmers Land Investment Cooperative; Rabbit Hollow Nature Conservancy
- Illinois: The Galena Territory Association; Thoren Farms (Stockton)
- Minnesota: City of La Crescent
Finalists and award recipients were selected by a panel of judges representing each of the four Driftless Region states, with backgrounds in conservation, education and public resource management.
The event was supported by regional organizations and individual donors, including the Dr. Lee Johnson Memorial (Rev. Kent Johnson), Raptor Resource Project, Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC, Prairie Moon Nursery, and Julie Jacobson Vann, Ph.D., M.S., R.N.
Sustainable Driftless plans to hold the awards banquet annually, rotating locations among communities throughout the Driftless Region to strengthen regional connections and collaboration.
About Sustainable Driftless, Inc.
Sustainable Driftless, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to inspiring resource conservation, vibrant communities, and sustainable growth in the Driftless Region. This epic natural, cultural, and historic treasure—little known outside the Midwest—boasts landscapes rivaling Yellowstone or the Smoky Mountains. By promoting the Driftless as a premier international geotourism destination, the organization works to strengthen conservation, support rural communities, and encourage the thoughtful, sustainable use of this one-of-a-kind landscape.
For more information, visit sustainable-driftless.org.
Add comment